How to make wicking bed (seedbed with built-in reservoir)

These days, the temperature in Za’atari refugee camp reaches over 40 degrees Celsius every day. The low level of water becomes even more limited during this season.

JEN is carrying out a water saving garden project. The main characteristic of this project is to use seedbed with built-in reservoir, which only requires 2 liters of water per day. We plan to distribute this seedbed to residents for them to grow flowers and herbs, hoping to provide emotional support to their life.
We would like to introduce briefly how to make Wicking Bed, where you can raise plants even in small spaces.

【Above photo is the completed Wicking Bed】

【1.Prepare 1 meter x 1 meter container】

【2.Set up pipe to pour the water at the bottom of container. Make holes through the pipe so that water oozes out】

【3.Lay gravel tightly into the container】

【4.Lay red clay and compost on the gravel】

【5.Plant seedlings】

【6.Cover with net in order to block out intense sunlight】

7.When completed, pour around 200 liters of water little by little into the container so that water sufficiently soak into seedbed. From there on, by using the system of water passing through the pipe and flowing upwards through soil, pour 2 liters of water every day to grow the plant.

This Wicking Bed can provide residents an environment to grow their favorite plant without worrying about the level of water consumption.

 

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JEN will be there for the most vulnerable households to keep providing the support they need.

【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated. DONATE here】

Support for construction and restoration of school facilities and afterwards

While I was writing this support news, public schools in Jordan held biannual nationally standardized university entrance exam called Tawjihi. We are unable to construct or restore schools during Tawjihi, which last for about two weeks. Taking this opportunity, I am reviewing the comments we received from schools that we recently supported.

In order to listen to local opinions, after completion of project, a team different from JEN’s engineer team visits the school to listen to opinions, and provide the school principal with questionnaires to fill in. In this way, we are able to obtain information such as communication among school, JEN engineer and contractor in charge of the construction, whether or not accidents occurred at the site, the quality of work, and concern about project in general.

【JEN engineer team: from left, Laith, Mohammad, Osama, Mai】

This questionnaire contains concerns and claims from school that engineers did not recognize, and sometimes even disagree with the facts. Firstly, we look through all comments and analyze the content. If necessary, we visit the school again later and confirm at site. If we find our fault or misunderstanding, we take measures to prevent it from happening again.

Although JEN engineer in charge explains the details of works to school before the construction or restoration starts, we recognize the necessity of further consideration from the opinion of school.

In case a technical problem occur, we repair within warranty period established by JEN, which is 6 months after the construction work. In reality, mostly other types of problems occur, which are very hard to solve.

It is especially important for Jordanian public schools to maintain the completed facility by themselves, and prevent intentional destructive action. In Jordan, it is prominent for students to destroy facilities in school. Most of support related parties share concern about this problem.

In order to solve this problem, we prepare training program of maintenance to motivate teachers, and prepare cleaning manual for cleaners. Children in Jordan use bathrooms at home cleanly, however the way some students use public facilities is very different from home. We are almost reaching the limit of solving this problem by ourselves.

When children destroy part of school facilities, schools tend to request regular maintenance to support organization instead of taking care of the problem by themselves, claiming, “Children destroy the facilities”.

Even right after the completion of work, it is difficult to prevent intentional destructive action by students. Even with cleaners, many school facilities became out of order since they were not properly maintained and monitored.

Since school facilities in Jordan are in shortage due to refugee crisis in Syria, JEN and other support organization are focusing on additional or new construction of school facilities as our support activity. On the other hand, the deterioration of existing facilities newly or additionally constructed is accelerating, since schools do not properly manage by themselves.

JEN and other support organizations need to jointly request cooperation from the Ministry of Education, and consider measures to make schools maintain and monitor facilities by themselves, and implement such measures as soon as possible, in order to improve effectiveness and later sustainability of support.

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JEN will be there for the most vulnerable households to keep providing the support they need.

【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated. DONATE here】

Tree planting in public school

The Ministry of Environment of Jordan launched a national campaign called “All Jordan is our home” through the media. This campaign started in August 2016, and its purpose is to make us, the member of community, learn the importance of preserving clean forest, resources, and the environment that keep ecological balance of Jordan.

As a part of this campaign, the Ministry of Environment set April 8 as “National Hygiene Day”. With the slogan “Cry of homeland: Our environment is our life”, the campaign promotes understanding about dangers brought by not paying attention to cleanness of the land we live on and what are harmful behaviors to environment.

This campaign encourages cleaning of public places and tree planting. The Prophet Muhammad of Islam encouraged tree planting to his apostles. Half the population of Jordan is Muslim. Islam consider tree planting as a good deed, therefore tree planting is well accepted.

Host Community Project Team of JEN, especially the team in charge of hygiene promotion activity, held an event in public school to promote hygiene and participated in this campaign. The team cleaned the school with students and teachers, received sapling from Ministry of Agriculture in accordance with the size of school area, and planted trees. In Yafa elementary school in Salt City, Balqa province , we planted more than 50 saplings in school garden and trimmed the garden.

On that day, the principal as well as all teachers of the school, staff member of local education department, and staff member of Salt City participated in this event. They enjoyed not only the cleaning and tree planting but soccer games and games related to hygiene as well.

Program Assistant
Alaa Kurdi

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JEN will be there for the most vulnerable households to keep providing the support they need.

【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated. DONATE here】

Safety classes for children

Ramadan (the month of fasting according to the Islamic calendar) started on May 27 and recently entered its last week. While JEN camp staff members have shortened working hours, they continue with their activities without drinking or eating anything during daytime.

The construction of water supply and sewerage networks in Zaatari refugee camp, which we reported on earlier, proceeds even during Ramadan. The construction site is not as lively as usual, but the residents, construction companies, and assistance organizations have to keep working while maintaining safety.

No major accidents have occurred so far, but we have to ensure the safety of children, who are often interested in the heavy machinery, holes dug in the ground, and water pipes laid on site.

For this purpose, JEN and other organizations in charge of water and sanitary assistance have been teaching children about safety around the construction site. The classes were held in schools in the camp and a facility called the Makani center (my space), where education and psychological care is provided mainly to minors in vulnerable conditions.

【Caution sign】

【Children are endlessly curious around the construction site】

【Children are attracted to some of the heavy machinery】

【Safety poster to raise caution】

We taught children what not to do using safety posters. For example, they should not enter areas blocked off by safety tapes, or go close to heavy machinery.

【Everyone is listening closely】

JEN is supporting construction companies in establishing the water and sewerage networks, but its even more important role is to support the community. We are doing our best to maintain safety of all residents including children, adults, elderly people and those with disabilities, while the water infrastructure is being established to improve their living conditions.

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JEN will be there for the most vulnerable households to keep providing the support they need.

【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated. DONATE here】

 

Give blessing to Ramadan!

Ramadan, according to the Islamic calendar, has begun from 27th of May. For about a month during Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset (about 16 hours).

After sunset, they visit their relatives, spend time together and treat one another to meals. It is a special month for Muslims.

JEN supports women’s groups in Zaatari refugee camp. This is to contribute in creating an environment that helps one another in the community in the camp. The women form groups to do various activities, for example making recycled products out of old clothes and sharing them in the community.

Today I would like to talk about an activity in one of the women’s groups.

During Ramadan, 3 to 4 women gathered to cook and deliver meals for families around the neighborhood that have elderly or disabled members, and single-parent families. We interviewed some participants in this activity.

Ms. Kuzma is a member of the cooking group and also a mother of 7 children.

“The 3 of us cooked a 25-person portion of Kabsa (Arabian style pilaf) for 6 families. We had so much fun cooking together that we felt that time has gone by so quickly. We delivered the meal in time for Iftar. Our families had also enjoyed the delicious meal.

[The women’s group preparing for the meal, distributing portions for everyone]

70-year-old widow Ms. Karuma lives with her 55-year-old son who has psychiatric disability. Ms. Hindu and Ms. Faiza in the cooking group visited her on Tuesday and said that they will bring some dishes the next day.

 [Women delivering meals in the camp and a person receiving the meals]

“I didn’t know that there were families having such difficulties. I’m glad I could deliver meals to them,” said Ms. Hindu and Ms. Faiza.

Ms. Karuma said, “The meal was delicious. We have received warm regards.”

Ms. Nasla has 6 family members. Her husband and daughter are disabled. She says, “The meal was delicious and because the quantity was plenty, we shared it with families in the neighborhood. I think this is a very good practice during Ramadan.”

One can feel one’s meaning in life by doing something good for others who face difficulties. It is important to look for something you can do for others even if it is very little.

JEN Jordan Zaatari Refugee Camp
Livelihood Improvement Officer
Iptihar Harahsheh

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JEN will be there for the most vulnerable households to keep providing the support they need.

【JEN is now accepting donations. Your help would be very much appreciated. DONATE here】